Clinton Wins Squeaker in Indiana, It’s All Over But the Crying
As I write this at 12:50AM east coast time, 95% of Indiana is in and Obama is losing by around 16,000 votes (just over 1% margin). The remaining votes are coming from the region around Gary, IN. which heavily favors Obama. So it’s likely the final margin of victory will be even closer–perhaps as low as 5,000 votes.
By my calculations the primary campaign is over. Hillary has cancelled media appearances tomorrow and will be consulting with her staff, supporters and superdelegates, who I’m guessing will be giving her the bad news. She may fight on. But she’s essentially broke and will have to go even deeper into hock to continue.
No, I’m not gloating and not singing any songs about wicked witches as I’ve read at other websites. We need Hillary’s supporters to win this thing. Obama struck just the right note of conciliation in his North Carolina speech. I hope that despite her disappointment with tonight’s results, Hillary will be able to read the tea leaves and decide that when she gets out she does so with style and magnanimity. It’s hard to know with her. She fights so hard and probably takes losing badly. But for the sake of the Party and defeating McCain, I hope she can find it in her heart to move on and give her all in supporting Obama’s likely candidacy.
If she is surly and unforgiving and provides tepid support it just may be too hard to win in November. It’s going to be a tough, close race no matter what happens. Despite the fact that the Republicans have almost nothing going for them this election cycle, McCain is going to be a formidable candidate. He has some virtues Obama doesn’t and he’ll play them to the hilt.
UPDATE: 99% of the vote is counted and Hillary wins by approximately 22,000 votes and a margin of less than 2%.
tags clinton wins indiana primary narrowly, obama
